The history and challenge of grassy biomes

Grassy biomes are >20 million years old but are undervalued and under threat today Grassy biomes—from the steppes of Mongolia to the savannas of Tanzania—are predicted to be the ecosystems hardest hit by the ongoing climate and land use crises. The history of humans has been profoundly intertwine...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2022-08, Vol.377 (6606), p.592-593
Main Authors: Strömberg, Caroline A. E., Staver, A. Carla
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agrarian society
Biodiversity
Domestication
Evolution
Grasses
Grasslands
Land use
Livestock
Livestock production
Savannahs
Steppes
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Summary:Grassy biomes are >20 million years old but are undervalued and under threat today Grassy biomes—from the steppes of Mongolia to the savannas of Tanzania—are predicted to be the ecosystems hardest hit by the ongoing climate and land use crises. The history of humans has been profoundly intertwined with grassy biomes. Homo evolved in the savannas 2 million years ago (Ma), and agricultural societies arose through the domestication of grasses, such as wheat and barley, 10,000 years ago. These grass crops, as well as corn and rice, remain dominant staple foods globally ( 1 ). Livestock production also centers in areas that were once (and sometimes still are) native grasslands. Grassy biomes harbor distinct and diverse sets of plants and animals that have adapted to these environments through millions of years of evolution ( 2 ). As the biodiversity and economic prominence of grassy biomes are increasingly being recognized, there is a demand for better understanding of their past and present function to inform policy and management.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.add1347